News Release
| Release Number: | 99-024 |
| Dated: | 3/19/1999 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.--The Willamette Falls Locks near West Linn, Ore., will be closed for the next several days due to a mechanical problem with one of the locks chamber gates. The locks should be reopened for public and commercial use by late next week.
"Since the locks are the only means for recreational boaters and commercial shippers to navigate around Willamette Falls, we are trying to minimize this outage," said Debby Chenoweth, operations manager for Bonneville Lock and Dam and Willamette Falls Locks. She said, however, that the equipment needed to begin the repairs won't be available until next week.
The locks closed at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 18, after operators noticed both halves of gate No. 3 were misaligned. Engineers and maintenance crews must remove a series of broken bolts and remount the pintle hardware, similar to a ball-and-socket joint, to the gate before the locks can be reopened. Crews also will inspect the gate for any additional damage. The gate must be removed from its mountings to accomplish this work, according to Brian Schmidtke, the Corps' navigation lock coordinator.
Schmitdke said a crane barge will be hired and brought in to remove the gate.
When the locks reopen, boaters will be able to use them from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Beginning May 2, the locks will switch to its summertime schedule of 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Corps of Engineers changes the operating hours of the locks every spring and fall to meet the needs of recreational and commercial boaters.
"Our customers have told us these are the hours that will best serve them during the spring and summer," said Iram Mendez, lock operator.
Willamette Falls Locks was the first water resource project in Oregon. It has been designated a National Historic Site and an Historic Engineering Site. The original lockmaster's office has been converted into a museum, and displays photographs of the historic locks that have been in operation since 1873. Tours of the museum are available by calling (541) 374-8820.
During the summer, hours for visitor areas will be daily from 9:30 a.m. to sunset. Seven picnic sites and visitor restrooms are available. Boaters wanting to receive information about using the navigation locks can call (503) 656-3381.